A collection of the best and most delicious recipes from the streets of Vietnam. Stepping onto the streets of Vietnam is like entering a big, bustling kitchen—everywhere, something is being rolled, boiled, steamed, or fried; pots of hot, fragrant pho sit over coal burners and balls of peanut-studded sticky rice are steamed and wrapped in newspaper. The food is fast, fresh, fragrant, and second to none in terms of its diversity and availability. Vietnamese Street Food represents everything enticing there is to eat on the streets of Vietnam. It contains more than sixty well-loved and authentic recipes from Prawn and Rice Paper Rolls to Crab Wontons, from Classic Noodle Soup with Chicken to Salt and Pepper Squid, and Crunchy Baguettes Filled with Skewers of Lemongrass Beef. Alongside these recipes are the stories of people who run some of the most legendary street stalls, providing a glimpse into their lives and daily routines. The variety of dishes and cooking methods, be it rolled, boiled, steamed, or fried, combined with gorgeous photographs of every dishful will have you creating unpretentious, fresh, and flavorsome food for any occasion.

Secrets of the Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese Recipes from the Heart

by Pauline and Luke Nguyen
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2008

In my family, food is our language. Food enables us to communicate the things we find so hard to say.” -Pauline Nguyen
Overflowing with sumptuous but simply prepared dishes that have been passed down through generations of the Nguyen family, Secrets of the Red Lantern is part Vietnamese cookbook and part family memoir.

More than 275 traditional Vietnamese recipes are presented alongside a visual narrative of food and family photographs that follows the family’s escape from war-torn Vietnam to the successful founding of the Red Lantern restaurant.

At the heart of each recipe is the power of food to elevate and transform. From a recipe of cari de that sparks a memory to the distinctly bitter melon soup that says, “I’m sorry,” Secrets of the Red Lantern shares the rich culinary heritage of the Nguyen family and their personal story of reconciliation and success.

Recipes like Bun Rieu (Crab and Tomato Soup with Vermicelli Noodles), Goi Du Du (Green Papaya Salad with Prawns and Pork), and Che Khoai Mon (Black Sticky Rice with Taro), unlock the family’s secrets and see the family persevere through homesickness, heartache, and the upheavals of change to finally experience growth and celebration. The result is a beautiful journey through Vietnamese history, culture, and tradition.

Most people go to Hanoi to enjoy the food. And in Hanoi, street food is not merely a quaint or exotic culinary excursion – it is at the heart of the culinary tradition and helps to define the culture and rhythm of the city. However, while dining on the street may sound tempting and adventurous to visitors, it can also be intimidating. The aim of this book is to demystify Hanoi’s glorious street food culture. Hanoi Street Food does not only provide you with the places to eat but also with recipes for Vietnamese delicacies such as the Phô but also with other noodle dishes that stand out, but which are not as easily found as the Bun Cha or the Bun Rieu. Each section describes a range of dishes within a particular category. Following each description, the authors guide you to some of their favorite spots where you can try these snacks.

Luke Nguyen, chef and coauthor of the internationally bestselling book Secrets of the Red Lantern, returns home to discover the best of regional Vietnamese cooking. In My Vietnam he takes a personal and culinary tour to learn more about one of the richest, most diverse cuisines in the world.

Starting in the north of Vietnam and ending in the south, Luke visits his family and friends, is invited into the homes of local Vietnamese families, and meets food experts and local cooks. Accompanying his stories are more than 100 regional and family recipes—from Tamarind Broth with Beef and Water Spinach to Wok-tossed Crab in Sate Sauce—and vibrant, stunning photographs. Together these capture the beauty of Vietnam and her people’s deep connection to food.

“Indochine” sees Red Lantern’s Luke Nguyen revisit his beloved Vietnam and seek out the food and cultural remnants of this former French colonial empire. On his regular visits to Vietnam today, Luke is often struck by the appearance of people wearing berets, speaking French and the aromas of coffee and butter emanating from cafes and patisseries. The recipes and accompanying stories showcase the French influence upon Vietnamese history and cuisine. Against a backdrop of grand colonial hotels, bars, restaurants and terraces, to private estates dressed in antiques and textiles of the period, Luke talks to chefs, bakers and family members to extract the very essence of French-Vietnamese cuisine. From coffee and croissants at breakfast to high tea and supper, Luke unravels the origins of Vietnamese dishes such as pho, which began life as a ‘pot au feu’, and experiments with new versions of traditional Vietnamese food. “Indochine” appeals to lovers of French, Vietnamese food and travel alike. This title is from the author of best-selling cookbooks “Secrets of the Red Lantern” and “The Songs of Sapa”. It features vibrant food photography shot entirely in Vietnam and more than 100 regional recipes showcasing Vietnam’s French culinary roots.